Knowing how philosophical (and opinionated) this board can be, I thought you all might be great resources for my sociology project. There are two sections - please feel free to answer what you want (everything would be great), but please avoid if you are under 25; it's part of the parameters I've set. Please also feel free to elaborate as much as you like. Thanks!

Interview 1. What is your opinion on the influence of the internet over the last twenty years?

2. Do you think people and their viewpoints are taken as seriously online as in the real world? Why or why not?

3. Do you think transparency or the willingness of others to be straightforward has altered as a result of the internet's influence? If so, is it strongly or weakly reflected in the real world? Can you provide a witnessed example?

4. Looking at the entire picture, do you think we're better off with or without the internet? Why? How do advantages outweigh disadvantages, or vice versa?

1. What is your opinion on the influence of the internet over the last twenty years?

Not as big as it could have been...governments and legal system too slow to catch up...but it is probably the single biggest invention of this generation...

2. Do you think people and their viewpoints are taken as seriously online as in the real world? Why or why not?

Depends on the person and their "Web Presence" for me...and how they put their point across...for most people, no....but for some who are consistent and genuine - WHATEVER their viewpoints - yes.

3. Do you think transparency or the willingness of others to be straightforward has altered as a result of the internet's influence? If so, is it strongly or weakly reflected in the real world? Can you provide a witnessed example?

That's a tough one....I don't think transparency/willingness of others to be straightforward has altered (except for a small minority who purposefully hide behind the "blanket" of a screen name)

4. Looking at the entire picture, do you think we're better off with or without the internet? Why? How do advantages outweigh disadvantages, or vice versa?

Better off with...the access to information has never been easier...and those who think they "know" the Internet for the most part don't even comprehend one tenth of it in my opinion. Of course there will always be disadvantages, but these are far far outweighed by the incredible achievements that the Internet has to offer. Just let governments and legislation catch up, and we'll make more headway.

2. Do you feel the introduction of the internet has significantly altered the way we interact? Yes No

In general, no.

3. Do you feel its influence has been positive or negative? Positive Negative

Positive

4. Do you feel friendships are as easily formed, or disagreements as easily solved, as they are in the real world? Yes No

They certainly CAN be...whether or not they actually are though? I'd have to say "No"...disagreements seem to usually turn into little more than playground grudges and spats...and are usually quite pathetic.

5. Do you feel real-world social conditions, such as cliques, have online equivalents? Yes No

Certainly!!

6. Do you think our quality of in-person communication has improved or worsened? Improved Worsened

There should be an option for "Unchanged"...which would be my answer.

7. Do you think our ability to interact and relate to one another has improved or worsened? Improved Worsened

There should be an option for "Unchanged"...which would be my answer.

8. Do you think our general quality of life has improved or worsened? Improved Worsened

Improved

9. Do you feel your social sphere is as cohesive and satisfying as it was before the internet? Yes No Yes

10. Overall, would you say you feel associated or disassociated when using the internet? Associated Disassociated

Associated, though it's all too easy to turn that off. Especially if the morlock you're trying to have a discussion with turns out to be a complete wanker.

Interview 1. What is your opinion on the influence of the internet over the last twenty years?

As with all things it has its positives and negatives. On the one hand, access to information has increased beyond anything ever imagined. On the other, it is frightening how easy it has been to control what information will be available. For example, how Google rewrote their software to limit access to information in order to get access to the huge and growing market in China.

2. Do you think people and their viewpoints are taken as seriously online as in the real world? Why or why not?

Depends on the venue. The more someone is identified (i.e. we know who they are), the more serious they will be taken. The more they are anonymous, the less serious they can be taken.

3. Do you think transparency or the willingness of others to be straightforward has altered as a result of the internet's influence? If so, is it strongly or weakly reflected in the real world? Can you provide a witnessed example?

The anonymity of the Internet has emboldened people well beyond straightforwardness often to the point of abusive. People regularly write things on the Internet they would never in a million years speak out in your physical presence. I suppose that is a good thing as what they write is what they truly believe but don't dare say in a real world setting. It may be good, but it sure isn't pretty!

4. Looking at the entire picture, do you think we're better off with or without the internet? Why? How do advantages outweigh disadvantages, or vice versa?

It has been a tradeoff. We're better off in the sense that we have access to so much than we ever have before. On the worse off side, the Internet has been one of the strongest forces in destroying privacy from controlling powers like Big Corporations and governments. If one were to put a name to the 20th century, I believe it will be remembered as the Age of Privacy.

Great questions, although they could use some specification here and there ('the internet' is a vast thing -- if you specified it to discussion forums and social media, for example, it would be more tangible).

Thanks guys, there are some great observations here. As for the answer choices, I can't change them at this point as they have already been approved by the professor as is. My work will be written up as narrative, though, so I can point out variations in the responses which can include such comments. "Unchanged" is definitely a good suggestion.

As for how to approach the internet, I purposely kept it broad so I could achieve a variety of answers in the interview but could nail down "yes-no" answers in the questionnaire. The broadness is also part of the main research point - how has the internet, overall, been influential. But please don't let that keep you from commenting where you wish. Again, it can find its way into my paper.

I just posted my questions on Survey Monkey, which might be easier for folks to answer. It's not the full list unfortunately, but it should be easier to simply choose "Yes" or "No" if that's all you wish to do. Please check it out if you can...

Knowing how philosophical (and opinionated) this board can be, I thought you all might be great resources for my sociology project. There are two sections - please feel free to answer what you want (everything would be great), but please avoid if you are under 25; it's part of the parameters I've set. Please also feel free to elaborate as much as you like. Thanks!

Interview 1. What is your opinion on the influence of the internet over the last twenty years?

Huge, pervasive, intrusive and - ironically - ANTI-SOCIAL.

2. Do you think people and their viewpoints are taken as seriously online as in the real world? Why or why not?

I think many ideas ARE taken seriously and that's why so many people go to the lengths they do to debunk the ideas of others - they often feel threatened or intimidated! It might make them feel less intelligent, their ideas less valid etc. The potential for conflict is huge.

3. Do you think transparency or the willingness of others to be straightforward has altered as a result of the internet's influence? If so, is it strongly or weakly reflected in the real world? Can you provide a witnessed example?

Anonymity plays a huge role in cyber interactions and, therefore, I believe "transparency" isn't an issue - what is an issue is CREDIBILITY.

Look at newspaper sites and their messageboards and the bile which spews from them. I can't think of a single instance in the 'real world' where people who behave so objectionably. Unless very drunk.

4. Looking at the entire picture, do you think we're better off with or without the internet? Why? How do advantages outweigh disadvantages, or vice versa?

We are better off with the internet because there's so much information at our fingertips. Caution: 'knowledge' does not equal 'intelligence'. The major disadvantage, for me, is authority: who is an 'authority' on the internet and can this 'authority' be trusted? In the old days you went to your university library and read material with citations and a rich bibliography and intellectual credibility. Today people regard what they read as "truth", but saying it doesn't make it so.

This is a huge area regarding the internet which is poorly understood and even less willingly discussed.